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There’s no shortage of news about immigration issues on the U.S.-Mexico border, but what’s going on in our own community? How have things changed under the current U.S. administration and how is the Canal Alliance responding? What are the facts on the ground in Marin County?

Lucia Martel-Dow will share her line of sight into local immigration issues at our February meeting. As Director of Immigration and Social Services at Canal Alliance, she works to protect the rights of immigrants in our community. Under her guidance, the Immigration Legal Services team provides outreach, education, legal screenings, consultation and representation to thousands of individuals each year.

Born and raised in Venezuela, Martel-Dow was a member of the Venezuelan Foreign Service before moving to Madrid, Spain, where she worked on human rights and immigration policy issues for an international organization serving Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. She moved to San Francisco in 2007, garnering her Master’s of Laws from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and a Master’s in International Law and International Relations from the Universidad Complutense, Madrid. She joined the Canal Alliance in 2015, leading the organization’s effort to help residents navigate the immigration system.

The California State Legislature recognized Martel-Dow for her community service with the 2018 North Bay’s Woman of the Year award.

“America is known as a country that welcomes people to its shores. All kinds of people. The image of the Statue of Liberty with Emma Lazarus’ famous poem. She lifts her lamp and welcomes people to the golden shore, where they will not experience prejudice because of the color of their skin, the religious faith that they follow.” – Ruth BaderGinsburg

“You see, our glorious diversity—our diversity of faiths, and colors and creeds―that is not a threat to who we are, it makes us who we are.” – MichelleObama

Michele Anna Jordan has been exploring and extolling the wonders of Wine Country food and wine since before the region was recognized by the rest of the country as one of the great culinary treasure spots.

She will talk with Dialogue about seasonal offerings in our farmers markets, what makes a great holiday meal, and how to figure out what YOU like (and why) based on your personal palate.

Whether discussing savory winter toppings for polenta, how to make posole for New Year's Day, or the ease of assembling spices to make Chai, one truth runs through her work: It is always better, cheaper and more nutritious when you make it at home. And her second truth: Who shares a table with us has always been more important than what is served.

Michele Anna is a doyenne of food writing, with over 20 cookbooks and as many years of print media work under her by line. She also provides a home for “food nerds” at her KRCB radio show “Mouthful” which has aired for 24 years. Michele Anna’s love of all things cooking began as a child, and grew as she raised her children on a dairy farm in Lakeville, east of Petaluma. During her thirteen years as a professional chef she received numerous awards. In early 1990s, she shifted her professional focus to writing. Michele now lives in Sebastopol.

Marsh Holm will be discussing Gauguin’s life through his art, from his first Salon entry, to the works inspired by Camille Pissarro and Paul Cezanne, to the works in which we see his artistic maturity. She will be addressing not only his paintings, but also works on paper and his wood carvings. And to talk about Paul Gauguin, is to look at and consider his personal relationships.

Marsha Holm has been a docent with the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco since 1979. In addition to giving tours and lectures in all areas of the museums’ collections, from Africa to the Pacific Islands, from the Americas to Europe, she has served in several administrative capacities, including new and continuing education for FAMSF docents. She has also assisted in training docents at the Blackhawk Museum, the Oakland Museum and the San Jose Museum of Art in addition to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.